Vehicle-coupling.



BAT-ENTED APR. 21, 1903.

w. m. S L u ,www m wm mmm 1 .mm D. mm vm i \,1 n \///z% WWF ,1I- L. 1 x/x ATTORNEYS.

AnNr Duree.,

vEmcLE-c`ouPL-ING.-

SPECIFICATION 'forming part of Letters'ratent No. 726,146, dated April21, 1903.

Application tiled January 8,1903. Serial No. 138.273. (No ruhdel.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Beit known tnat I, DAVID A. D1oK1NsoN,of Quitman, in the countyof-Brooks and State of Georgia, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Vehicle-Couplings, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates" to an improvement in couplings for vehicles, andhas for its object to provide a coupling device for the front and rearrunning-gear o f a vehicle which is sim: ple, consists of few parts, andcan be applied to any ordinary vehicle, new-or old, and one whichrequires no oiling of the parts.

To these endsthe invention consists in certain novel features ofconstruction, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out inthe claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which-Figure l isacentral vertical section through front axle of a vehicle,showing my improvement applied as in use. vFig. 2 is a side ele- Y.vatiou, partly in section. `Fig.. 3 is a detail sectional View onlinens :vof Fig. l. Fig. 4 is detached perspective View of the axleclip.4

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View, showing the Wear-plate in thehead-block.

A represents the king-bolt proper, which consists of the body portionA2, provided-With the upwardly-extending bolt A3, which has the collarA4 at its'base. These are al1 integral and are made as a drop-forging.The upper end of the bolt or pin A3 is threaded and after passingthrougha wear-plate B,hav

ing a flanged central collar B fitting in the head-block C, extendsupwardly through said head-block and spring QD and Ithe'front end of topbrace E and is securely held by a nut F, which is locked to saidl bolt`by lany suitable means, such as a pin passed through said nut and bolt.The wear-plate B is secured to the lower face of the head-block C. Thebody of the king-bolt'is arched and the side members A5 made quite thickdown to nearv gral bolt g,' which is passed through thebottom bracenHand is secured-th'ereto/bya nut.,y

l I represent/ the rearwardly.- diverging l reaches, lchlront ends ofwhich are fitted and secured in thehead-block, and a short distanceinthe rear of said head-block a crossbar or brace J is secured to thereaches and between the same. The top brace E and the bottom brace H aresecurely .heldto the top and bottom, respectively, of the cross-bar Jbyl aboltK and nuts. L represents an axle-clip, the side members L' L ofwhich are provided `with the bosses or lugs Z, which have centralperforations which extend through the said side members of the axle-clipin alinelnent with each other. The axle Maud cap M', rigidly securedthereto, is clamped between the side members of the axle-clip by aclip-yoke Z', held to the usual threaded reduced ends of thefside`members of the clip bynuts.

The bosses or lugs Z form trunnions and are iitted in Vertical recessesor slots a5, open at thei-r lower. ends, made in the inner faces of theside members Aof theking-bolt A. A bolt N passes through the sidemembers of the king-bolt, through thel bosses of the axleclip, andthrough an opening made through theaxle-cap, and said bolt is held inplace by a nut screwed o n its threaded end. This bolt N serves atwofold purpose- 'rst, to keep the axle in its proper place, and,second, to divide the resistance of the 'load on yboth front and rear ofthe king-bolt. lt'also, vwith the aid of the bosses or lugs Z,supports-the weight of the vehicle.

The purpose ,in having the lshoulders AG rounded at theirouter edges isto permit the ends of clip-yoke Z to -swin'g g freely withoutobstruction when the axle oscillates' vertically.

It will be noted that with the construction shown one of the wheels mayrun over a stump or other obstruction and the axle will oscillatewithout causing any undue straiupn the king-bolt or rest of the parts; jThe axle can also be freely swung'horizontally,.as in turning, by virtueof the u'ppei1 extension of the king-bolt passing through thehead-block. It will also be noticed that no oiling of parts isnecessary. Hence there will be no tendency for dust to collect onoil-covered parts.

IOO

' change in construction, and by taking out the bolt N it may be used inaddition to any of the ordinary fifth-wheels.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a vehicle-coupling the combination with the head-block andaxles,of a king-bolt pivotally secured to said head-block and oomprisinga body portion, downwardly-projecting side members having their innerfaces provided with vertical grooves or channels open at their lowerends, an axle-clip surrounding the axle within the king-bolt andprovided with circular bosses orlugs projecting outwardly froml itssides, said bosses or lugs adapted to enter and bear in the verticalgrooves or channels in the inner faces of the king-bolt side members, aclip-yoke securing the king-bolt to the axle-clip, means for securingthe axle-clip to the axle and means for securing the king-bolt to theheadblock.

2. In a vehicle-coupling the combination with the head-block and axle ofa king-bolt pivotally secured in said head-block and comprising a bodyportion, an upwardly-projecting bolt, perforated side members, said sidemembers provided with shoulders on their inner faces, open-ended slotsor recesses eX- tending upwardly from said shoulders and a clip-yokesecuring the lowerends of said side members, an axle-clip provided withbosses or lugs projecting from its sides and having openings extendingthrough said bosses or lugs and the sides of the axle-clip in alinement,said bosses or lugs adapted to enter and bear in the slots or recessesin the side members 4ofi' the king-bolt, a bolt passing through saidbosses, the axle and the kingbolt, and means for securing the king-boltto the head-block and to the reach.

3. In a vehicle-coupling the combination with the axle, head-block,reach and braces, of aking-holt comprising an arched body por tionupwardly-projecting bolt and internallyshouldered side members, saidside members having open-ended grooves or channels open at their lowerend extending upwardly from the shoulders, and openings therethrough,anaxle-clip secured to the axle and provided with side trunnions journaledin the grooves or channels in the side members of the kingbolt.

4. A vehicle-coupling comprising a kingbolt member consisting of a bodyportion, an upwardly-extending bolt internally-shouldered and perforatedside members,provided with open-ended slots or recesses and a clipyokefor securing the lower ends of said side members, and an axle-clipprovided with bosses or lugs fitting and bearing in the recesses of theking-bolt, and having openings DAVID A. DICKINSON.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. HARDEN, GEORGE D. RAYSOR.

